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The Appalachian State University Board of Trustees gathered for their quarterly meeting last Thursday and Friday. Board Committees met Thursday, and the Board met as a whole on Friday for committee reports and to conduct general board business.

Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs Dave Haney reported that the school is above the 95th percentile for student retention with 90% of the students that start ASU as freshmen graduating from the school. That means that ASU is in the top 5% of schools that keep their student for all four years of their college education. Dean of Education Charles Duke said that ASU is currently graduating 400 teachers a year. 12,000 of the state’s teachers and 16% of the state’s Nationally Board Certified teachers are ASU graduates. That said, Duke said that North Carolina has a teacher attrition rate of 14% and that increases pressure on ASU’s School of Education to produce teachers to replace them and accommodate growth. The Board also elected new officers for the next year. The Board elected Jim Deal to replace outgoing Board Chairman Robert Fox. Deal is also currently serving as Chairman of the Watauga County Board of Commissioners.